


Art/Words: Cinderfella and The Buckled Boot of Destiny

by LFB72



Series: LFB72's Drabble Series [11]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Art, Cinderella Elements, Enemies to Lovers, Fairy Tale Elements, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Magic, Silly, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2018-07-15
Packaged: 2019-06-10 14:21:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15293412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LFB72/pseuds/LFB72
Summary: Merlin is mistreated and has had is magic bound by his ugly step-brothers. The only way to break the bond and free his magic is to find his soul mate. He thinks there will be an opportunity when the Prince of Camelot holds a ball open to everyone but his evil brothers have ripped up his invitation and locked him in a cupboard.





	Art/Words: Cinderfella and The Buckled Boot of Destiny

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rotrude](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rotrude/gifts).



> For the lovely Rotrude. Happy Birthday. This was only meant to be a little cartoon and a few words but it got a bit out of hand. I hope you enjoy it.  
> Thanks to the wonderful Clea who read it over for me

 

Merlin grabs his broom and whacks the floor in frustration.

 

“Come now young warlock, such behaviour will not help matters.”

 

Merlin clenches his fists and spins around to face his wizened pet lizard. He jabs his finger at the perpetually annoying reptile.

 

“ _You_ said it was my destiny to go to the ball, that I would meet my soulmate and my magic would finally be free and no longer tied to the gruesome twosome.” Merlin huffs.

 

Kilgharrah blinks imperiously. “Merlin, meeting your soulmate and uniting the land of Albion has been written since the dawn of time.”

 

“Well answer me this, _oh mighty one_ , how am I supposed to do that when Valiant and Cedric ripped up my invitation and locked me in here?“

 

“Your ugly step-brothers are no match for fate.”

 

“Fate!” Merlin snarls. “You talk a load of -”

 

_BANG!_

 

A blinding light and deafening explosion drown out Merlin’s words.

 

When the dust clears a white-haired old man with scary eyebrows stands before him.

 

“Merlin I am Gaius - your fairy Godfather - and you _shall_ go to the ball!”  

 

“Wha-”

 

Gaius’ eyes flash gold and Merlin’s tattered jacket is transformed into a beautiful midnight blue velvet coat with silver trim.  In Merlin’s hands is a matching mask.

 

Gaius’ eyes glow again and the door is blasted off its hinges. One final bit of magic turns Kilgharrah into a fine white stallion.

 

“Now my boy, go.” Gaius waves his hand and cautions, “No one must know who you really are. Wear the mask and be sure to return before midnight. Be gone!”

 

*****

  


Merlin will say one thing for the Pendragons, they know how to throw a party! He adjusts the mask and grabs a champagne flute from a passing server.

 

He takes a gulp to steady his nerves and scans the room for his step-brothers. He can’t see them anywhere. Letting out a sigh of relief, Merlin drains his glass and wonders which of the many fine fellows is the prince. He’s never seen a picture but by all accounts the prince is a bit of an arse.

 

Merlin is temporarily distracted by a platter of vol-au-vents. His stomach lets out a loud grumble and reminds him he’s not eaten all day. He pursues the silver tray through the crowds. Finally it is within reach and he grabs a handful of pastries. Stuffing them into his mouth he lets out an orgasmic moan of pleasure before reaching out for more.

 

His hand receives a sharp slap.

 

“Gorging yourself is very rude and shows no respect to the royal family,” a pompous voice declares.

 

“Well they can afford it,” Merlin replies before he can stop himself. “They sit in their ivory towers feasting whilst the the poor starve.”

 

“Is that so? The rich should give to the poor is that it?”

 

“Yes, definitely” Merlin says, spraying his accuser with pastry crumbs.

 

“Says he in the velvet jacket with silver trim.”

 

“Looks can be deceiving.” Merlin croaks somewhat deflated.  He glances up for the first time.

 

Oh dear. The man before him is gorgeous; golden hair, piercing blue eyes and firm thighs. Merlin’s mouth goes dry. Things get worse when he realises this man is wearing a crown... and that his expensive jacket is showered in bits of vol au vent.

 

Merlin’s shoulders sink. “You’re his Royal Highness, Arthur Pendragon,” Merlin groans.  He reaches out to brush the crumbs away, then aborts the gesture when Arthur’s eyes track his hand.

 

“Ah, you finally noticed!” Arthur grins savagely.

 

“Look I’m sorry,” Merlin begins. “I didn’t know. I’ve never been to anything like this before. I’ll just go, there’s no need to call the guards.” He steps away, face burning, and wishes the mask could cover all of his shame and not just his eyes.

 

“No.”

 

A hand grips his shoulder firmly and he’s spun around to face the prince.

“Don’t. This is the most fun I’ve had at one of these things ever!”

 

“What?”

 

“First I can’t shut you up and now you’ve gone all shy. It makes me wonder who is this mystery man before me and why does he hide?”

 

Arthur reaches his fingers forwards towards the mask.

 

Startled, Merlin jerks away and manages to fall over his own feet.

 

_BONG!_

 

The clock chimes midnight.

 

With a shriek Merlin scrambles up and heads for the door.

 

“Wait!”

 

Merlin sprints, weaving through the stunned crowd.

 

Merlin has been dodging missiles and beatings from the evil twins most of his life. Consequently, although Arthur is fast and fit, Merlin gets to the door first.

 

Magic flares inside him in a way it hasn’t been able to in years. He stumbles down the stairs sealing the exit and escaping into the night.

 

By the time Arthur manges to open the doors, all that is left is a solitary boot.

 

*****

 

Arthur’s feet hurt. He’s spent the whole day going from door to door in Camelot trying to track down his soulmate. He doesn’t even know what the man looks like, all he has to go on is a boot.

 

The sun is setting and he rubs his eyes.

 

“This is the last dwelling Your Majesty,” his aide George tells him.

 

This must be the one, Arthur thinks.

 

Arthur had thought his luck was in earlier with a man who had casually greeted him with a wink, munching an apple and shaking a glorious mane of brown hair. Alas, it was not to be, when that man took off his shoe George had to open all the windows.

 

So this is it. The final house. Destiny awaits.

 

George rings the bell.

 

Arthur’s heart sinks when he enters the house and finds two of the ugliest men he has ever seen both staring coyly at him.

 

“Who lives in this house?”

 

“Just me, Valiant  and my brother Cedric,” a large man grins and gestures to his weasel-like sibling.

 

Arthur swallows down bile. It cannot be.

 

“No, according to the census you have a step-brother, one Merlin Emrys,” George pipes up.

 

“You don’t need to worry about him. He didn’t go to the ball,” Valiant says.

 

“Where is he?” Arthur growls.

 

“Not here,” Cedric smiles as Valiant moves and leans against a wall.

 

Arthur spots a small brown lizard as it darts between Valiant’s legs and disappears into a hole under a door. A door the beefy man is trying to obscure.

 

“Stand aside.” Arthur unsheathes his sword and waves it threateningly.

 

“Alright!” Cedric cowers, reaching into his belt and retrieving a rusty key. “Merlin!” he shouts, banging the door “Get your useless…”

 

A glare from the prince silences him.

 

A young man emerges, squinting into the light. Tall, slender, dark-haired and brilliant blue eyes. Arthur’s soul mate.

 

Just to make sure, Arthur drops down on one knee. “Will you do me the honour of trying on this boot?”

 

“Whoever it does fit, shall be declared the Prince’s soulmate and consort” George reads.

 

Merlin is guided towards a stool.

 

Arthur slips the boot over bare skin and sparks fly.

 

“The buckled boot of destiny!” Kilgharrah crows from his perch on Merlin’s shoulder. “It has been foretold!”

 

Merlin shrugs off the lizard and leaps on Arthur. He wraps his arms and legs tightly around him, magic singing and finally free. His prince, his destiny, his soulmate.

 

 

 

[ ](https://imgur.com/ANSomgJ)

THE END

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading and looking


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